Legal Advice
Prior physical possession immaterial in unlawful detainer

Dear PAO,

Our parents were the first to occupy a parcel of land which was the subject of a dispute. After our parents' settlement, a distant relative from an island province asked our parents to be temporarily accommodated on a vacant area of the land while they were looking for a place to settle permanently. Out of pure compassion, our parents allowed them to stay. Unfortunately, after the death of our parents, we asked them to vacate because we needed it for our children, but they refused. Their refusal prompted us to file an unlawful detainer complaint. The court dismissed our complaint mainly for failure to prove prior physical possession. Is that correct?